Standing in His Grace Alone Despite My Mistakes
It is by Him and Him alone that I stand or fall
I shouldn’t have done that.
The words echo in my mind, repeating over and over, worry humming and growing with them.
What will they think of me?
I should have handled that better.
My perfectionism strikes again
I didn’t even do anything morally wrong. It’s just that whatever decision I made didn’t come off in the best light. And to this perfectionist, that is a horror of horrors.
I struggle with this most in my line of work
I’m an elementary school teacher. Forty bright minds and eyes watch me each week. A large part of their education — indeed their trajectory in life depends on what I do in the classroom each day.
And, in all modesty, I do get good marks on my evaluations. More importantly, my students have a good time in my class while progressing in what they know and critically thinking about what they are learning.
But I’m human
Sometimes, I forget to touch base with a parent on a student’s progress the day when it would be most beneficial.
Sometimes, in an interaction with a coworker, I misspeak and don’t represent my teaching the way I would like.
And the worst of all, sometimes there is another adult in my class when I have to deal with a behavior issue between students — and when I think back, I realize that there is a better way I could have handled it.
This is why I love the written word
I can ruminate over each thing I say and do online and in print for however long I need to before I push the “send” or “publish” button. But, that said –
I know it’s a crutch.
I know that this is real life and I can’t hide behind a computer screen. Goodness knows that I can’t throw in the towel on anything just because sometimes I flub. Everyone does.
But for this perfectionist, being okay with that is so difficult
However, I can’t live a life where I am constantly relieving each mistake that I make. That is no way to live. It’s not how God wants me to live.
So the question is, then — what promises does God have for those little mistakes we make daily? The ones that aren’t really sin but are simply a hallmark of our human imperfection?
My favorite is this:
“Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” (Romans 14:4, NKJV)
Here’s the deal from God
Others may judge you for a mistake you made, but in the end, it’s God our Master whose judgment matters. We can rest assured that He knows our hearts and intent when we make a true mistake. On top of that, He even says that as we go through life He will make us stand, not fall. We will overcome and grow beyond the little things and the big things (and the little things that seem big) through His strength, not our own.
So, why is this the deal He makes with His children?
As Christians, we are representatives of God and His Son
If we prayerfully come to God for forgiveness when we have sinned, or help to make it right if we have made a mistake, He’s not going to say no.
Why would He?
He wants to make us more and more like his perfect Son. Further, we as Christians are meant to show the Love-of-Christ to others here on Earth. He is certainly going to say yes if we prayerfully and sincerely ask that we continue to be a light for Him.
Don’t let our mistakes become a stumbling block to ourselves or others.
That doesn’t mean your mistakes will be erased and everything will be sunshine and rainbows. It does mean that He will see you through when you seek His guidance. In fact, Hebrews calls Jesus:
“ … the author and finisher [in some versions, it is ‘perfecter’] of our faith … ” (Hebrews 12:2).
As a writer, I love this.
Jesus writes the story of our faith and lives
When our hearts are open and willing to serve Him He will write a beautiful story of perfection from our this despite our mistakes and humanness because we are covered by His sacrifice.
My Master has and will continue to make me stand not on my own merit but on His.
This story is published in Koinonia — stories by Christians to encourage, entertain, and empower you in your faith, food, fitness, family, and fun.
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